A bounty of transformation: Parish gardens take root and offer lessons of family, food and faith
Tracy Ross and her children, Jack and Hanna, pose for a photo in the community garden at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis on Aug. 7. The garden provides fresh produce for people in need. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)
By John Shaughnessy
Nearly every garden offers a story of transformation, not just for the seeds that are planted, but also for the people who nurture the gardens.
And sometimes the true harvest of a garden comes in the lessons it provides, lessons overflowing in humanity, beauty, faith and God’s grace.
Here are some stories and lessons from a few parish gardens in the archdiocese—and the people who tend them.
A bounty of magical moments
Kathleen Berry Graham has experienced an abundance of spiritual and magical moments as she takes care of her flowers and vegetables in the garden at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Indianapolis—including the moment that took her breath away when she was approached by a young woman holding a baby.
Noticing that Graham held a bunch of brightly-colored zinnias in her hand, the young woman asked Graham if she had also planted those same kind of flowers in a nearby bed a year ago. When Graham said yes, the woman replied, “Your zinnias were so beautiful last year that when I had my baby, I named her Zinnia.”
Touched by the woman’s words and name choice, Graham handed her the bouquet of zinnias she had just clipped.
“It just seemed the right thing to do,” Graham recalls. “My mom always raised me to do the next right thing. In this garden, I see people doing the right thing again and again.”
Dig into the history of this parish garden, and you’ll unearth another level of transformation. For a long time, it was a crumbling strip of asphalt for parking until a former parishioner named Joe Foster imagined it could be changed into an urban oasis. Six years ago, flower beds were built, soil was poured into them, and parish members and neighborhood residents were invited to claim a spot to add a touch of beauty or bounty to the world.
This year, about 35 people toil in their personal gardens. Some nurture sunflowers that reach for the sky. Others plant peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and other vegetables, sharing their harvest with food pantries. Graham enjoys bundling her zinnias into bouquets that she leaves secretly on her neighbors’ porches and doorsteps.
The school’s students and teachers use the garden for educational projects. Neighbors visit the garden with their children, taking in its colorful glory.
“Sometimes, I’m in my garden space by myself in the early evening, the sun is setting, the church bells are tolling, and I look up at the silhouette of the church tower. It’s a meaningful and spiritual moment for me,” says Graham, who helps coordinate the use of the garden.
“This space provides goodness for so many people from many walks of life. It’s a good thing to do. And when you are doing something good for people, I think that’s when you can say we’re all closer to God.”
Lesson of family, food, faith takes root
Growing up on an Indiana farm, Tracy Ross learned early the close connection that binds people to their land. From her parents, she also learned the importance of creating bonds and sharing your bounty with people in your community.
“One of the fun things about growing vegetables is sharing what you have,” she says. “On his farm, my father grows corn and soybeans, and he also has a garden for cabbage, carrots, potatoes, corn and raspberries. My dad invites people to his garden to pick what they want. He just likes to grow it. He takes what he needs and shares the rest.”
That approach also guides the community garden that Ross coordinates at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis.
About 40 parishioners are involved in the effort from late May to early October, helping to grow tomatoes and a variety of peppers that are shared with people who live near Anna’s House, a clinic and resource center on the near west side of Indianapolis that provides food, dental care, medical help and educational services.
“We grow tomatoes and peppers because there’s a predominantly Hispanic population that comes to Anna’s House, and that’s what they like,” she says. “We also encourage families to bring their extra produce from their home gardens so that it can be delivered as well. People leave them by the statue of Mary on Friday night and early Saturday morning.”
Tracy also encourages the parish’s gardeners to take their families to Anna’s House when the vegetables are distributed on Saturday mornings. She and her husband Greg make that effort with their children, 9-year-old Jack and 8-year-old Hanna.
“You feel like you’re making a difference in the world because you see how many people need the food,” Jack says.
His words make his mother smile, knowing that the family’s history of reaching out to others has taken root in a new generation.
“It’s just part of teaching our children to give back,” Tracy Ross says. “It’s the lesson Jesus gave all of us—to give back to your community.”
The unexpected growth of seeds of hope
As he stands in the SHarP (Shared Harvest Project) Community Garden near St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianapolis, Bill Scott marvels at how seeds of hope and beauty can sprout and blossom from unexpected sources.
First, Scott shares the story of how he often travels to work on an IndyGo bus that has a stop near the parish—and how the bus driver on that route gave him some seeds to plant after noticing him weeding and watering in the garden.
Then Scott talks about his friendship with a man named Richard.
“He was living on the edge,” says Scott, who helps coordinate the garden. “He would grow his food here, and then he would give it to his family and friends. He knew the people who needed it. He also cut the grass for us. He died a year ago.”
The main idea behind the SHarP Community Garden is to provide a setting where “gardeners grow for themselves and the community—helping to address local needs by providing produce to neighborhood food banks.”
The harvests of zucchini, cabbage, turnips, peppers, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and summer squash have been a blessing to the nearby Boulevard Place St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
“The last two years, we’ve been bringing in 200 pounds of food. We may double that this year,” says Mary Ellen Gadski, another coordinator of the garden.
Fresh produce makes a huge difference to people who can’t afford to buy it in stores, says Mark Varnau, the director of the Boulevard Place Food Pantry, who is also a member of St. Thomas.
“The SHarP gardeners have always been very generous to us, as have the other church gardens in the area, such as Immaculate Heart and St. Joan of Arc,” Varnau says. “Our own pantry garden supplies collard greens, peppers and tomatoes, which help make for more nutritious meals. Our shoppers love the fact they can select fresh produce.”
Scott also views the garden as providing a bounty beyond food. The garden is a combined effort between members of St. Thomas and its across-the-street neighbor, Common Ground Christian Church. And the connections extend from there.
“We’re out here in the open,” he says. “People will stop their cars and talk about the garden. I love how this garden brings people together from different cultures, different ages and different backgrounds.”
It also draws him closer to God.
“When you garden, Jesus’ parables have a deeper meaning when he talks about scattering the seeds and the other references he makes to the growing process.
“I enjoy seeing the whole growth process. It gives me a sense of security and satisfaction. It speaks to a sense of God being in control.” †
